COVID-19: N9m up for start-ups with tech-driven solutions
THE NIGERIAN COMMUNICA TIONS COM MISSION (NCC) has called for submission of tech-driven initiatives that can help the fight against Coronavirus (COVID-19) with a plan to reward the best three among them.
The NCC revealed this as it activated a window for the submission of digital solutions for addressing the impacts of pandemic and epidemic prone-diseases from technology hubs, startups and innovation digital SMEs in Nigeria.
“Pursuant to this objective, the commission invites entries from tech hubs, startups and innovation digital SMEs with promising and adaptable digital solutions that will aid in containing the impacts of pandemic and epidemic-prone diseases in Nigeria to a virtual Hackathon.
“The top three start-ups with the most promising digital solutions will receive a grant of N3, 000,000.00 each from the commission to aid the development and deployment of these solutions in Nigeria,” the NCC said.
According to the commission, interested applicants will need to have solutions that address issues in the fields of interest including health, education, community, productivity, education and transportation.
The telecoms regulators further highlighted criteria for evaluation of the proposed digital solutions to include adherence of proposal to stated requirements, novelty, clear problem statement and explanation of the proposed solution.
Other measures of acceptance for the solution are that each solution, including prototype development, must be concluded within two months of receipt of the grant and proof of concept, that is, feasibility of idea with diagram, algorithm, among others.
NCC explained that submissions of proposal will undergo preliminary assessment.
It said: “The proposals that are adjudged most promising and capable of positively impacting the fight against COVID-19 may be invited for defense of the proposals before a decision is taken on winners.
“Interested tech hubs, startups and innovation digital SMEs are invited to submit soft copies on or before 5pm, Monday 17th July, 2020. Any proposal submitted after the deadline will be rejected automatically.”